Device and method for inputting characters or numbers in mobile terminal

Abstract

A device for inputting characters or numbers in a mobile terminal having a touch screen, the device including a display screen for displaying characters or numbers at a display area and a wheel for selecting a desired character or number at another display area in a text input mode; and a control unit for controlling the display screen to display the characters or numbers and the wheel for selecting a desired character or number at the display areas, placing a cursor on a character or number corresponding to rotation of the wheel, and controlling the display screen to display a character or number selected by placing the cursor.

1. A device for inputting characters/numbers in a mobile terminal having a touch screen, the device comprising:
 a display screen for displaying characters/numbers at a first display area and a wheel for selecting a desired character/number at a second display area in a text input mode; and 
 a control unit for controlling the display screen to display the characters/numbers and the wheel for selecting a desired character/number at the display areas, placing a cursor on a character/number corresponding to rotation of the wheel, and controlling the display screen to display a character/number selected by placing the cursor, 
 wherein said control unit displays the character/number selected by placing the cursor according to a direction of rotation of the wheel in a third display area, detects when a user selects an input of the character/number displayed in the third display area, and displays a character/number in a fourth display area according to a selection of the user to input. 
 
     
     
       2. The device according to  claim 1 , wherein said display screen includes the first display area for displaying characters/numbers in a text input mode, the second display area for displaying a wheel for selecting a desired character/number from those displayed in the first display area, the third display area for displaying the character/number selected using the wheel, and the fourth display area for displaying the selected character/number according to the selection of the user to input the same. 
     
     
       3. The device according to  claim 1 , wherein said control unit displays the first display area to the fourth display area on the display screen in the text input mode, detects when the wheel is rotated in a first direction, controls a cursor to move over only characters/numbers corresponding to the first direction in the first display area and be placed on a character/number corresponding to the first direction and angle of rotation of the wheel, detects when the wheel is rotated in a second direction, and controls the cursor to move over only characters/numbers corresponding to the second direction in the first display area and be placed on a character/number corresponding to the second direction and angle of rotation of the wheel. 
     
     
       4. The device according to  claim 3 , wherein said characters/numbers displayed in the first display area include a first type of characters/numbers, over which the cursor moves with rotation of the wheel in the first direction, and a second type of characters/numbers, over which the cursor moves with rotation of the wheel in the second direction. 
     
     
       5. The device according to  claim 4 , wherein said first type of characters/numbers is one of a group of consonants/vowels of an alphabet and a group of characters/numbers frequently used over a number of times during input of a text message. 
     
     
       6. The device according to  claim 4 , wherein said second type of characters/numbers is one of a group of consonants/vowels of an alphabet and a group of characters/numbers frequently used over a number of times during input of a text message. 
     
     
       7. A device for inputting characters/numbers in a mobile terminal having a touch screen, the device comprising:
 a display screen for displaying characters/numbers at a first display area and at least two wheels for selecting a desired character/number at a second display area in a text input mode; and 
 a control unit for detecting rotation of any one of the at least two wheels in the text input mode, placing a cursor on a character/number corresponding to the rotation of the one wheel, and controlling the display screen to display a character/number selected by placing the cursor, 
 wherein said control unit displays the character/number selected by placing the cursor according to a direction of rotation of the wheel in a third display area, detects when a user selects an input of the character/number displayed in the third display area, and displays a character/number in a fourth display area according to a selection of the user to input. 
 
     
     
       8. The device according to  claim 7 , wherein said display screen includes the first display area for displaying characters/numbers in a text input mode, the second display area for displaying at least two wheels for selecting a desired character/number from those displayed in the first display area, the third display area for displaying the character/number selected using at least one wheel, and the fourth display area for displaying the selected character/number according to the selection of the user to input the same. 
     
     
       9. The device according to  claim 7 , wherein said control unit displays the first display area to the fourth display area on the display screen in the text input mode, detects a rotation of a first wheel, controls a cursor to move over only characters/numbers corresponding to the first wheel in the first display area and be placed on a character/number corresponding to an angle of rotation of the first wheel, detects a rotation of a second wheel, controls the cursor to move over only characters/numbers corresponding to the second wheel and be placed on a character/number corresponding to an angle of rotation of the second wheel. 
     
     
       10. The device according to  claim 9 , wherein said characters/numbers displayed in the first display area include a first type of characters/numbers, over which the cursor moves with rotation of the first wheel, and a second type of characters/numbers, over which the cursor moves with rotation of the second wheel. 
     
     
       11. The device according to  claim 10 , wherein said first type of characters/numbers is one of a group of consonants/vowels of an alphabet and a group of characters/numbers frequently used over a number of times during input of a text message. 
     
     
       12. The device according to  claim 10 , wherein said second type of characters/numbers is one of a group of consonants/vowels of an alphabet and a group of characters/numbers frequently used over a number of times during input of a text message. 
     
     
       13. A method for inputting characters/numbers in a mobile terminal having a touch screen, the method comprising:
 displaying characters/numbers at a first display area of a display screen and a wheel for selecting a desired character/number at a second display area when a current mode of the mobile terminal is changed to a text input mode; 
 moving a cursor with rotation of the wheel and placing the cursor on a character/number corresponding to the rotation of the wheel; 
 displaying a character/number with the cursor placed thereon in a third display area; and 
 displaying a character/number in a fourth display area according to a selection of a user to input the same. 
 
     
     
       14. The method according to  claim 13 , further comprising providing the display screen with the first display area for displaying characters/numbers in a text input mode, the second display area for displaying a wheel for selecting a desired character/number from those displayed in the first display area, the third display area for displaying a character/number selected using the wheel, and the fourth display area for displaying a selected character/number according to the selection of the user to input the same. 
     
     
       15. The method according to  claim 14 , further comprising providing characters/numbers displayed in the first display area as a first type of characters/numbers, over which the cursor moves with rotation of the wheel in a first direction, and a second type of characters/numbers, over which the cursor moves with rotation of the wheel in a second direction. 
     
     
       16. The method according to  claim 13 , wherein the moving a cursor step comprises:
 detecting rotation of the wheel in a first direction, moving the cursor over characters/numbers corresponding to the first direction in the first display area, and placing the cursor on a character/number corresponding to an angle of rotation of the wheel; 
 detecting rotation of the wheel in a second direction, moving the cursor over the characters/numbers corresponding to the second direction in the first display area, and placing the cursor on a character/number corresponding to an angle of rotation of the wheel. 
 
     
     
       17. The method according to  claim 16 , further comprising providing the characters/numbers corresponding to the first direction as one of a group of consonants/vowels of an alphabet and a group of characters/numbers frequently used over a number of times during input of a text message. 
     
     
       18. The method according to  claim 16 , further comprising providing the characters/numbers corresponding to the second direction as one of a group of consonants/vowels of an alphabet and a group of characters/numbers frequently used over a number of times during input of a text message. 
     
     
       19. A method for inputting characters/numbers in a mobile terminal having a touch screen, the method comprising:
 displaying characters/numbers at a first display area of a display screen and at least two wheels for selecting a desired character/number at a second display area when a current mode of the mobile terminal is changed to a text input mode; 
 moving a cursor with rotation of at least one of the at least two wheels and placing the cursor on a character/number corresponding to the rotation of the one wheel; 
 displaying a character/number with the cursor placed thereon in a third display area: and 
 displaying a character/number in a fourth display area according to a selection of a user to input the same. 
 
     
     
       20. The method according to  claim 19 , further comprising providing the display screen with the first display area for displaying characters/numbers in a text input mode, the second display area for displaying at least two wheels for selecting a desired character/number from those displayed in the first display area, the third display area for displaying a character/number selected using one wheel, and the fourth display area for displaying a selected character/number according to the selection of the user to input the same. 
     
     
       21. The method according to  claim 20 , further comprising providing the characters/numbers displayed in the first display area with a first type of characters/numbers, over which the cursor moves with rotation of a first wheel, and a second type of characters/numbers, over which the cursor moves with rotation of a second wheel. 
     
     
       22. The method according to  claim 19 , wherein the moving a cursor step comprises:
 detecting the rotation of the first wheel, moving the cursor over the characters/numbers corresponding to the first wheel in the first display area, and placing the cursor on a character/number corresponding to a direction and angle of rotation of the first wheel; 
 detecting the rotation of the second wheel, moving the cursor over the characters/numbers corresponding to the second wheel in the first display area, and placing the cursor on a character/number corresponding to a direction and angle of rotation of the second wheel. 
 
     
     
       23. The method according to  claim 22 , further comprising providing characters/numbers corresponding to the first wheel as one of a group of consonants/vowels of an alphabet and a group of characters/numbers frequently used over a number of times during input of a text message. 
     
     
       24. The method according to  claim 22 , further comprising providing characters/numbers corresponding to the second wheel as one of a group of consonants/vowels of an alphabet and a group of characters/numbers frequently used over a number of times during input of a text message.